PATRICK O’CONNELL OF LIMERICK AND GALWAY SENTENCED FOR INDECENT ASSAULT IN 1982 AND PRIOR OFFENCES

In February 2009, Patrick O’Connell, aged 54, a native of Limerick residing at Seacrest, Galway, received a three-year prison sentence from Mr. Justice Paul Carney after pleading guilty to indecently assaulting a female pupil over 26 years earlier.

The court heard that O’Connell sexually assaulted a 12-year-old girl between April 1 and June 30, 1982. The now 39-year-old woman, who is married with three children, described to the court how the experience has impacted her life. She told Mr. Justice Carney that she suffers from regular nightmares involving O’Connell and her eldest daughter, and expressed her ongoing fears around male authority figures, aside from her husband and father.

She stated, “It will stay with me my whole life. I reported his assault for my own sake, my family’s sake and for all other innocent children.”

Detective Garda Annalise Hannigan provided details of the incident, explaining that the victim was attending a sports event with classmates when O’Connell reprimanded her for “messing on the bus” and kept her behind after school to fill out some forms. The girl later told Gardaí she was worried he would tell her parents about her behavior and was nervous about staying back.

She further recounted that O’Connell made her lie on the ground, claiming he wanted to relax her legs, and then performed a sexual act on her with his hands. She admitted that she did not fully understand what had happened at the time, but it was only at the age of 15, after receiving sex education at school, that she recognized the act as a criminal offence.

Defense counsel, Mr. Peter Finlay SC, acknowledged that O’Connell, who is divorced and has one child, had not been involved with Gardaí since his release from custody in June 2003. O’Connell frequently traveled to France with his French partner, each time surrendering his passport to authorities upon return.

Mr. Finlay emphasized that O’Connell had attempted to rebuild his life following his previous convictions and marriage breakdown. A probation report indicated he posed a “low risk to society,” and counsel asked the court to consider the significance of his sex offender registration, which had serious implications for him. He argued, “He now just wants to live a meaningful and productive life having paid his debt to society.”

O’Connell’s criminal history includes a four-year sentence handed down at the Central Criminal Court on June 8, 2000, by Mr. Justice Aindrias O Caoimh for similar offences. Subsequently, on July 25, 2000, he received another four-year sentence from Mr. Justice Joseph Finnegan after being convicted of indecently assaulting two other female pupils at the same Dublin school.

Both convictions followed jury trials—one lasting four days in April 2000, the other ten days in June 2000—with juries finding him guilty on five charges of indecent assault in the latter case, where the jury deliberated just over four hours.

The final year of his 2000 sentence was suspended by Mr. Justice Finnegan on the condition that O’Connell maintain peace for five years post-release.

It was also revealed during the 2000 proceedings that O’Connell had previously received a Probation Act order following a false pretenses charge in Dublin District Court in 1979.